Chandigarh, February 27
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) condemned the statement of BJP leader and Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar regarding youth deported from the United States. The party stated that Khattar's statement is highly irresponsible and insensitive. It is unfortunate for a Union Minister of the country to make such remarks about the nation’s youth.
AAP Punjab senior leader and spokesperson Neel Garg said that the Modi government has failed to provide employment to the youth of the country, forcing them to leave the nation in search of jobs abroad. Hence, instead of criticizing the youth, BJP leaders should reflect on why such a situation has arisen.
Neel Garg said that Khattar's statement is not surprising. BJP leaders habitually make disparaging remarks about farmers, youth, women, and minorities. Making hateful statements is in the BJP leaders' nature.
Garg further said that the deported youth are not from just one state. They include people from Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and many other states. The clear reason for this is the lack of adequate employment opportunities in the country. He added that in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised that his government would provide 2 crore jobs every year. However, the reality today is that instead of jobs increasing, they are decreasing day by day. If the youth had been provided employment in their own country, they would not have needed to go abroad.
The AAP spokesperson said that the BJP claims to make India a global leader. Its leaders often say that Narendra Modi has enhanced India's reputation abroad. But when the United States handcuffed the youth of the country and deported them, what happened to India's reputation at that moment? He pointed out that even a small country like Cambodia gave a stern response to the US and did not allow its plane to land in their country. Cambodia brought back its citizens on its own plane. Meanwhile, the Indian government did not say anything to the US.
The AAP leader demanded that the BJP's central leadership ensure that Manohar Lal Khattar withdraw his statement and apologize to the youth. He said that this is an example of his government’s failure, and unemployed youth cannot be blamed for it.